Household appliance for treating fruit and vegetables

ABSTRACT

A household appliance for squeezing, comminuting or otherwise treating fruits and vegetables comprises a motor housing with a base having a lateral extensions from which a drive shaft extends upward. A cylindrical treatment vessel fits onto that extension with a hub which surrounds the drive shaft and accommodates a tubular stub shaft of an implement to be driven, the vessel having a cover which is attachable thereto through a bayonet coupling and carries a peripheral detent which must enter a slot of the motor housing and be engaged by a retractable latch to trip a microswitch enabling the motor to operate. One implement connectable with the drive shaft comprises a centrifugal grater with an annular screen and an abrasive bottom onto which produce to be comminuted can be pressed from above by a pusher passing through a guide tube of the cover; the pusher has a hollow stem closed at its lower end and cut away laterally to form an aperture with lateral edges closely adjoining the inner screen surface of the rotating grater, the edge downstream in the direction of rotation scraping off adhering fragments such as peels or fibers which can be removed during operation by withdrawing the plunger.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

My present invention relates to a device, especially a householdappliance, designed for squeezing, comminuting or otherwise treatingfruits and vegetables.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Household appliances of this type, designed for the extraction of juicesfrom citrus fruit, are known in which a basket-shaped centrifugal graterwith an abrasive disk as its bottom and an annular screen as itsperipheral wall is rotated about a vertical axis while a fruit to besqueezed is being pressed down with the aid of a pusher against theabrasive bottom. The resulting pulp fragments are centrifugally thrownonto the peripheral screen where the juice passes out through itsperforations while the solids are retained. In order to permit thecontinuous extraction of the juice, the solids must be prevented fromaccumulating along the inner screen surface of the grater. For thispurpose it has already been proposed to use a dynamic separator togetherwith a particular screen configuration enabling the juices to becollected in a labyrinthal structure while letting the solids bedeflected upward for removal from the grater. Such a dynamic separator,however, does not scrape the screen and is difficult to clean on accountof its complicated construction. Manually operated screen scrapers,which are also known, can be used only when the device is at standstill.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

An object of my present invention is to provide an improvedproduce-treating device with a rotating implement, such as theaforedescribed centrifugal grater, having means for enabling theextraction of peels, fibers and other fragments during operation.

A more general object of my invention is to provide a produce-treatingdevice--especially for household use--having internal rotary parts towhich access is positively prevented while they are in motion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In conformity with the last-mentioned object, a device according to myinvention comprises a power unit whose housing is provided with alaterally extending platform onto which a cylindrical treatment vesselcan be fitted, a drive shaft coupled with a motor in the power unitrising from that platform to enter a hub of the vessel fitted thereon. Arotatable implement in the vessel has a depending tubular stub shaftengageable with the drive shaft of the power unit for entrainmentthereby. The vessel has a removable cover which overlies the rotatableimplement in a closure position, this cover and the housing of the powerunit being provided with coacting formations which retain the cover onthe vessel in that position. An energizing circuit for the drive motorincludes switch means on the housing closable by one of the coactingformations in the closure positon of the cover for enabling rotation ofthe drive shaft and of the implement connected therewith. Thus, removalof the cover will open the energizing circuit of the motor and arrestthe rotating implement.

The coacting formations advantageously include a detent in the form of aperipheral projection of the cover, a stop on the housing, and aspring-loaded latch also carried on the housing so as to bear upon theprojection of the cover for urging it against the stop in the closureposition. The latch is retractable against its spring force for enablinga movement of the projection toward the stop in a closing operation andaway from the stop in an opening operation.

Preferably, the cover is rotatable relatively to the vessel into itsclosure position in which it is positively arrested by limiting meanssuch as a bayonet coupling; mating screw threads on the vessel and thecover could also be used for positively defining the closure position. Asimilar bayonet coupling can be used between the platform and the lowerend of the vessel for indexing the latter against rotation relative tothe arrested cover.

Another feature of my present invention, preferably used in combinationwith the protective arrangement just described, resides in the use of acentrifugal grater of the above-discussed type as the produce-treatingimplement inside the vessel whose cover is then penetrated by a verticalguide tube offset from its axis for enabling the introduction of produceinto the grater under pressure from a pusher receivable in that guidetube. The pusher has a hollow stem with a closed lower end and with aside aperture above that end which is bounded by lateral edges closelyadjoining the inner screen surface upon its introduction into the guidetube, the downstream lateral edge (as viewed in the direction ofrotation of the grater) scraping the inner screen surface to removeadhering fragments to the interior of the stem for withdrawal from thegrater when the pusher is extracted. Neither this extraction nor asubsequent reinsertion of the pusher requires the centrifugal grater tobe stopped. The handling of the pusher, whose stem must of course havean end projecting upward from the guide tube, does not subject the userto any risk or injury.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The above and other features of my present invention will now bedescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective exploded view of a produce-treating householdappliance according to my invention, shown in a position of partialassembly;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view, partly in section, of the device of FIG.1 with the cover of its treatment vessel removed;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the device, with parts broken away, showing thecover in a position approaching closure;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, with the cover shown in its closureposition;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2 with the cover in place;

FIG. 6 is a top view shown partly in section on the line VI--VI of FIG.5; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective exploded view of part of the assemblyillustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION

As shown in FIG. 1, a household appliance 1 for the processing of fruitsor vegetables pursuant to my invention comprises a housing 2 of a powerunit containing an electric motor 35 partly seen in FIG. 2. A base 31 ofthe housing contains a nonillustrated step-down transmission couplingthe motor with a drive shaft 4 which rises from a platform 3 on alateral extension of that base. A cylindrical treatment vessel 5,centered on an axis A, adjoins a correspondingly curved wall 32 ofhousing 2 and is internally provided with a hub 6 centered on the sameaxis so as to receive the drive shaft 4 when the vessel is lowered ontobase 31 where a depending skirt encloses the platform 3. The vessel hasa handle 33 enabling it to be lowered onto and lifted off housing base31.

A key 4' on shaft 4 fits into a groove of a tubular stub shaft 8 of acentrifugal grater 105, more fully described hereinafter with referenceto FIGS. 5-7, for rotatively entraining same. The open top vessel 5 isclosable by a cover 7 which is penetrated by a guide tube 112 forreasons that will become apparent. Vertical finger grooves 9 on oppositesides of housing 2 facilitate its handling by a user.

Platform 3 and the skirt of vessel 5 are respectively provided withbayonet lugs 11 and complementary incisions 12 serving to index thevessel 5 on the base 31 in a position preventing further clockwiserotation of the vessel as viewed in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4.

Motor 35 is connectable to a wall socket via a cable 28 which betweenperiods of use can be wound up on a reel 27 for storage in a compartment25 of housing 2 having a stud 26 for receiving that reel. The reel isintegral with a lid 34 serving to close that compartment at times ofnonuse.

Cable 28 passes through a hole 29 into the interior of housing 2 whereit is connected to the energizing circuit of the motor withinterposition of a potentiometer controlled by a manually settable knob10 for the selection of a suitable motor speed. This energizing circuitincludes a microswitch 24, shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, with a resilienttongue 23 projecting inside the housing toward its curved wall 32 in thevicinity of a slot 15 thereof within which a lever 17 is swingable abouta pivot 18. Lever 17 is biased by a spring 19 in a counterclockwisedirection, as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 4, toward an end 15' of the slotwhich acts as a stop for a detent 30 projecting outward from theperiphery of cover 7. The cover also carries bayonet hooks 13 coactingwith respective ramps 14 on the outer rim of vessel 5 to define aclosure position for the cover. In that closure position, with vessel 5indexed on base 31 as described above, detent 30 enters the slot 15 andcomes to rest against stop 15' as illustrated in FIG. 4, therebyrepressing the tongue 23 to close the microswitch 24. Such insertion ofdetent 30 into slot 15, however, requires a prior retraction of a latch16 which is carried by lever 17 and has a head 20 normally obstructingthat slot. With the latch 16 manually retracted against the force ofspring 19, as shown in FIG. 3, cover 7 is free to be rotated into theswitch-closing position of FIG. 4 concurrently with the interengagementof bayonet formations 13 and 14. A tip 21 of latch head 20, upon itsrelease by the user, enters a notch 22 of detent 30 and presses itagainst the stop 15' to maintain the working position of FIG. 4.

The safety features discussed with reference to FIGS. 1-4, namelyindexing and rotation-limiting formations 11-14, detent 30, latch 16 andcircuit breaker 24, could be utilized with a variety of rotatableimplements for pressing, shredding, peeling or otherwise processingfruits and vegetables. However, the centrifugal grater 105 about to bedescribed in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 5-7 is particularlysuitable for use in my improved appliance.

As best seen in FIG. 7, grater 105 comprises a solid bottom disk 108whose upper surface carries abrasive teeth represented by an array ofdots in FIG. 6. The peripheral wall of the grater is formed by anannular screen 109 whose bottom edge 110 (FIG. 5) closely adjoins therim 111 of disk 108; the two parts, however, may be detachable from eachother for easier cleaning after removal from treatment vessel 5. The topof the grater is wide open and is separated only by a small gap from theoverlying cover 7.

The lower part of guide tube 112 has a cutout 116 bounded by adownstream edge 117' and an upstream edge 117" as seen in the directionof rotation of the grater indicated by an arrow to be clockwise in FIG.6. This guide tube has a vertical bulge 123 forming a groove in which arib 122 of a pusher 114 is receivable for positive orientation relativeto pusher 114. The pusher has a head 114', coming to rest at the top oftube 112, and a hollow stem 114" which is closed at its lower end 118and is partly cut away just above that end to form a side aperture 119which registers with the cutout 116 of tube 112 in the inserted positionof FIGS. 5 and 6. Aperture 119 is laterally bounded by a downstream edge120 and an upstream edge 121 respectively registering with tube edges117' and 117"; plunger edge 120, however, projects beyond tube edge 117'into close contact with the inner surface of the annular screen 109which it approaches at an acute angle pointing against the direction ofrotation. The two upstream edges 117" and 121 are separated from theinner screen surface by a certain clearance to form with that surface aconverging gap in which solids adhering to the screen are compactedbefore being scraped off by edge 120. These solids, therefore, aredeflected into the interior of stem 114" and can be lifted out of thegrater 105 by an upward retraction of pusher 114.

FIGS. 5 and 7 also show baffles 124 on the underside of cover 7 whichare slanted downward in the direction of rotation in order to deflectthe rotating produce toward the abrasive bottom 108 of the grater andaway from its axis A.

In my concurrently filed application Ser. No. 577,152 I have disclosed ahousehold-type ice-cream maker which has a removable mixing cup and astirrer rotatably entrained by a shaft such as the one shown at 4. Thesafety assembly described above with reference to FIGS. 1-4 could alsobe used with such an appliance.

I claim:
 1. A device for the treatment of produce, comprising:acylindrical treatment vessel centered on a vertical axis; a centrifugalgrater in said vessel centered on said axis and rotatable thereabout,said grater having an abrasive bottom and a peripheral screen; drivemeans coupled with said grater for rotating same; a cover normallyclosing the top of said vessel, said cover being penetrated by avertical guide tube offset from said axis for enabling the introductionof produce into said grater; and a pusher receivable in said guide tubefor forcing produce to be treated into contact with said abrasive bottomat a location adjacent the inner surface of said screen, said pusherhaving a hollow stem with a closed lower end and with a side apertureabove said lower end bounded by lateral edges closely adjoining saidinner surface upon introduction of said pusher into said guide tube, thelateral edge downstream in the direction of rotation of the graterscraping said inner surface to remove adhering fragments to the interiorof said stem for withdrawal with said pusher.
 2. A device as defined inclaim 1 wherein said cover is internally provided with downwardlysloping baffles deflecting produce rotating with said grater toward saidabrasive bottom thereof.
 3. A device for the treatment of produce,comprising:a power unit provided with a housing and with a laterallyextending platform having a drive shaft rising therefrom, said driveshaft being coupled with a motor in said power unit; a cylindricaltreatment vessel fitting onto said platform and having a hub surroundingsaid drive shaft; a rotatable implement in said vessel having adepending tubular stub shaft engageable with said drive shaft forentrainment thereby; a removable cover for said vessel overlying saidimplement in a closure position, said cover and said housing beingprovided with coacting formations retaining said cover on said vessel insaid closure position; switch means on said housing forming part of anenergizing circuit for said motor, said switch means being closable byone of said formations in the closure position of said cover forenabling rotation of said drive shaft and of the implement connectedtherewith, said implement comprising a centrifugal grater centered on avertical axis, said grater having a peripheral screen and an abrasivebottom, said cover being penetrated by a vertical guide tube offset fromsaid axis for enabling the introduction of produce into said grater insaid closure position; and a pusher receivable in said guide tube forforcing produce to be treated into contact with said abrasive bottomadjacent the inner surface of said screen.
 4. A device as defined inclaim 8 wherein said pusher has a hollow stem with a closed lower endand with a side aperture above said lower end bounded by lateral edgesclosely adjoining said inner surface upon introduction of said pusherinto said guide tube, the lateral edge downstream in the direction ofrotation of the grater scraping said inner surface to remove adheringfragments to the interior of said stem for withdrawal with said pusher.5. A device as defined in claim 4 wherein said formations include aperipheral projection on said cover, a stop on said housing and aspring-loaded latch on said housing bearing upon said projection in saidclosure position for urging same against said stop, said latch beingretractable for enabling a movement of said projection toward and awayfrom said stop.
 6. A device as defined in claim 5 wherein said cover andsaid vessel are relatively rotatable into and out of said closureposition and are provided with limiting means positively interengagingin said closure position, said vessel being indexable on said platform.7. A device as defined in claim 6 wherein said limiting means comprisesa bayonet coupling.
 8. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein said latchand said projection interfit in said closure position.
 9. A device asdefined in claim 5 wherein said switch means comprises a microswitchwith a resilient tongue repressible by said projection upon contactthereof with said stop.
 10. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein saidcover is internally provided with downwardly sloping baffles deflectingproduce rotating with said grater toward said abrasive bottom thereof.11. A device as defined in claim 4 wherein said power unit is providedwith a supply cable for energizing said motor, said housing having acompartment closable by a lid and a reel in said compartment for windingup said cable therein.